Redskins vs. Cowboys: 5 players to watch on Thanksgiving
By Ian Cummings
No. 5 – LB Zach Brown
The Redskins run defense started out the season on an incredibly strong note, holding countless prestigious rushing threats to minimal gains. But as of late, they’ve hit a snag. Why? Because teams are scheming around the front four, exploiting the linebackers.
Mason Foster and Zach Brown both have their respective downsides, in this regard. Foster has experience and knows what he’s looking at, but he’s simply too slow to catch some offensive weapons in pursuit. While Brown has the speed that Foster lacks, he’s not as accurate at diagnosing running lanes, and both linebackers have often been caught in bad position over the past few weeks.
In time, perhaps the Redskins will be able to swap in Shaun Dion Hamilton for Foster on occasion, in order to provide the defense with a much-needed influx of speed. But for now, the linebackers appear set in their current roles.
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Aside from Josh Harvey-Clemons’ participation as the featured running back spy on passing downs, Foster and Brown are the unquestioned starters on the inside, and they’ll be tested on Thursday. Brown, in particular, needs to be on top of his game. When Brown plays well, the holes in the team’s run defense are plugged. When he misses assignments, players go free.